


The Childless Mother

by ForestSeaWitch



Series: The Monster You Know [6]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV), The Witcher (TV)
Genre: AU, Bondage, Cunnilingus, Deceit, Difficult children, Domination, F/M, Filthy talk, Hide and Go Seek, Knife Play, Motherhood, Other, Panic, Plot Twist, Power Struggle, Sex Pollen, cahir is dirty dirty, ciri screamed the beta away, first they're sour then they're sweet, he got that devil dick, single mother, this turned into smut really fast idk what to tell you, tricking children is healthy, why can't you be normal?, yennefer is a quick thinker
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:22:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23090059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForestSeaWitch/pseuds/ForestSeaWitch
Summary: Following the mundane day-to-day of Yennefer, as she raises the Lion Cub of Cintra in Geralt's absence.
Relationships: Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon & Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Tissaia de Vries & Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Series: The Monster You Know [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1642081
Comments: 17
Kudos: 39





	1. Yennefer I

**“Ciri, please. It’s time to start the day.”** Yennefer thought she’d wanted a child to raise, one her very own. When Geralt had showed up on her doorstep, she’d initially wanted to slam the door in his face. It had been even worse to see the bard with him. Jaskier, the coward. And yet one of the only men who had dared to mock her directly to her face in her long life. Somehow, that type of daring was endearing, though she gladly spat back her own bile. It was like a game of theirs, to insult one another. 

But then she’d seen the child. Little Cirilla, the Lion Cub of Cintra. Rescued from the Nilfgaardian attack by her destiny, the White Wolf. She had been adorable and so very tiny, sitting there in Jaskier’s arms, staring at Yennefer with those clear, blue eyes. The sorceress had fallen in love instantly, and it seemed Geralt had been counting on that, when he asked that Yennefer look after the girl a while, and perhaps even teach her some things. Traveling with a witcher and his love-sick bard was no life for a child. Yennefer had wanted nothing more than to be a mother, to cradle and kiss a little girl just like this one.

Today, however, she wanted to strangle the little beast, who refused to get out of bed with an ear-splitting shriek. Yennefer had manufactured a little spell to keep herself from losing her hearing, and it was a pain to set, on days like this. **”Gods, what do you want?”** Yennefer finally entered the room once the walls ceased their shaking. Ciri sat there with her tiny arms crossed, and a familiar pout upon her lips. Yen knew she must have learned it from Jaskier.

**”Where’s Geralt?”** Oh, not this again. She must have told the girl a hundred times already, but still the princess asked for one or the other. How those two were able to keep her happy in all their travels was beyond her. Yennefer tried to think of what either of them would do in this situation, and found herself instantly disgusted with the results of her supposings. 

**”He’s traveling, Ciri. You know this.”**

The princess huffed and looked away. **”Where’s Jaskier?”** Yennefer buried her face in her palms, if only to stop herself from staring daggers into Ciri’s head. 

**”He is _with_ Geralt.”** Was it permissible to drag a shrieking princess from bed by the ankle, and make her begin the day’s learning? 

**”Would you like a bit of chocolate, to break your fast?”** Ciri instantly lit up, and was nothing but smiles and giggles as she hopped out of bed. The princess sat herself at her mini vanity, back straight and ready for her hair to be brushed. Is this what it was like, to raise a little girl? Or was this merely what it was like to be temporary nanny to a spoiled princess? Either way, it had to be done, and Yennefer had fallen into a routine by this point. 

**”Can we go see the kittens today?”** Ciri asked sweetly, smiling wide at Yennefer in the mirror. Every time she did this, Yen swore she wouldn’t fall for it the next time around. But then, of course, the next time around did eventually come, and Yennefer fell for it all over again. She couldn’t help it, those bright blue eyes and rosy cheeks would have anyone falling in love.

**”Of course, we can go visit the kittens. Their eyes should be opening soon.”** Somehow, Ciri had found a wildcat, fat with an unborn litter, and coaxed it into their garden. The cat had trusted her on some instinct, and Yennefer supposed having a cat around would be good to keep vermin away. Weren’t sorceresses meant to have cats as their companions anyway? And here she was, with hers being a lion cub. Yennefer chuckled to herself at that thought.

**”I’m going to teach you some potions today, before we do,”** she forewarned the princess. Ciri had told her once that her lessons were boring, and Yennefer was highly insulted, before remembering the child’s age. How could she have known that it would be so difficult to try and raise a child? It was the singular thing she thought she had been missing in her life, yearning for, even. And yet she struggled to get the girl into clothing, some days. Was this what it was always going to be like? 

Yennefer remembered her struggles, as a young girl. Though that was nearly a century away at this point, by her count. Ciri would never know cruelty like that, nor would Yennefer allow herself to enact any such treatments even remotely similar. **”Potions for Geralt?”** Wonderful, the witcher had let her see them? If that was what made her eager to learn, then Yennefer supposed she ought to just play along.

**”Yes, practicing potions for Geralt.”** By the time Ciri realized that they weren’t witcher potions at all, she would have been far too invested in the lesson to simply stop. A little white lie couldn’t hurt much. **”And then…we’ll take a picnic to the stream. I saw flowers blooming there yesterday, and we can make a lovely bouquet of them.”** Or perhaps she could braid them into Ciri’s hair, as she had done before. Adorn the girl with a crown that she would likely never wear otherwise. It was a bit sad, wasn’t it? That they were all so broken and damaged from their lives, and yet had found each other. Trying to determine how Jaskier fit into that, however, was still a mystery that eluded her.

**”Right. Shall we then, my little cub?”** Ciri nodded eagerly, and rushed to pick out a dress for herself. It was far easier to let the child choose her own clothing, rather than make a fight about that. Yennefer could still feel the dull ring in her ears from the last time she had attempted it.  


  


* * *

  


  
Breakfast was pleasant, and even their morning lessons had been without much incident. Yennefer was teaching the girl letters and numbers, though these were lessons she had to improvise all her own. Oh, yes, she had raised spoiled royalty many a time, and watched them grow from innocent and protected young nobles into narcissistic, self-centered prats. She had been limited, by their parents’ decrees and desires. Here? Here it was _her_ realm and her law. If she had anything to say about it, Ciri was not going to grow up like those spoiled, and ultimately dead, nobles had. 

Yennefer had brought Ciri to the stream she had mentioned this morning, both of them riding astride her midnight-black horse. Ciri sat before her, idly playing with the stallion’s mane. **”Where did Geralt and Jask go?”** she had innocently asked. The name _Westeros_ nearly slipped from Yennefer’s lips in response. She had only visited once, and found that the men who claimed to yearn for knowledge were really pathetic, weak fools who wanted nothing more than to steal and contain power. 

**”They went somewhere very dangerous, love. Too dangerous for a precious diamond.”** Yennefer had tickled Ciri to distract her from the question, and judging by the princess’s giggles had succeeded in it. Why Geralt had taken a contract all the way there, she would never quite understand. But he had, and Jaskier had blindly followed along. As always. She preferred the islands of Yi Ti, if she were to be perfectly honest. When she had unwittingly portaled there the first time, she had found understanding and civilized people. A culture that accepted and worked _with_ magic, rather than fearing it. 

The pair sat by a babbling brook, surrounded by flowers and a gentle breeze. After their light lunch, Yennefer had taken to braiding Ciri’s hair, in an elaborate and elegant crown about her head. **”Yen?”** It always melted her heart when the little princess called her that, in the affectionate and loving tone she had adopted. 

**”Yes?”**

Ciri turned as Yennefer slipped flowers into her braids, looking up at the sorceress with a tilted head. **”I wanna braid your hair.”** It was a clear statement, not a question or request. The princess immediately stood up and moved to stand behind her. Yennefer bit her bottom lip hard to stop the sound of emotion coming out of her. There was something so pure and innocent in this, the love of a child. Especially a child that was not truly hers, and that she sometimes had no idea how to control or temper. Clear tears dropped silently from amethyst eyes as Ciri gently brushed through and twisted her hair. Yennefer found that she wouldn’t care if it ended in her hair sticking out oddly in some places, because Ciri had felt the urge to do this with her. 

**”Am I magic like you’re magic?”** she asked, unexpectedly. Yennefer tried to subtly wipe her cheeks, hoping that Ciri hadn’t seen her crying for the connection she had always desired. 

**”In a sense, I suppose,”** Yennefer carefully answered. Thus far, Ciri had not seemed to understand that she was different from any other little girl. This was the first time she had indicated anything of the sort to Yennefer. **”We were both born special, Cirilla.”**

**”Ciri!”** Yennefer chuckled a little at her indignant tone. Perhaps Cintra could be retaken, one day. 

**”Of course, _Ciri_. But we are special, you and I. Your gift comes from-”** Yennefer actually did not know the answer to that. Not fully. Not yet. **”Well, from your bloodline. Mine came…also from my blood. But I am of elvish blood, you see. And our magic is not quite the same, is it?”** She could hear the princess shake her head in agreement. Ciri had twisted a braid on either side of Yennefer’s head, and now pulled them together at the back, tying them together with a piece of twine. 

**”There!”** the princess declared, jumping excitedly around Yennefer, landing in her lap. **”Pretty,”** Ciri reached up with both hands, placing them on either side of Yen’s face, before leaning up to give her the sweetest kiss. How could the sorceress not forgive her for her behavior this morning, when she did things like that? The two of them sat there for an hour longer, giggling together over stories from Yennefer’s past. The sorceress often wondered how much of the invasion Ciri truly remembered. Whether she was young enough to not have understood, or she had pushed it to the back of her mind, like so many young girls had to do. But she would never ask.  


  


* * *

  


  
Ciri had not been best pleased when she realized the potions they studied were merely healing salves, and nothing of great importance to Geralt. Yennefer had shifted the lesson by reminding her that Jaskier could benefit from them, being vulnerable as he was. Thankfully that had satisfied the princess, and Yen continued on with their lessons. The child was gifted, she would have had to truly make an attempt to ignore that. Perhaps traveling with Geralt had helped, or perhaps she had simply been born this way. Yen liked to think it was the latter, that a girl in this world held intellectual power of her own volition.

Dinner had been uneventful, apart from Ciri telling her own fairytales. Yen recognized them as ones that were in her books, and wondered when the princess had managed to sneak away to read them. Spiteful little thing, which endeared her to the sorceress even further. Ciri had asked for the impenetrable bubbles with her bath again, and Yen happily obliged her, even making them bounce off her nose playfully. It was a little sad, to brush those braids out of her hair, and set the flowers aside. 

**”Yen?”** Ciri squeaked as she was being tucked into bed. The sorceress hummed lightly in response, stroking blonde hair out of the girl’s face. **”Will you stay? Please?”** It wasn’t the first time she had asked this, although Yennefer had not been comfortable enough that time to actually stay in bed with the princess. It had felt wrong, like she didn’t truly belong there. And Yennefer had felt terrible the rest of that night, for denying the girl her simple request.

**”Of course. Shall I tell you a story?”** Ciri nodded with that big, innocent grin that melted Yen’s heart every single time. **”Very well. Give me a moment to change into bedclothes, then.”** She knew that Ciri would be eagerly sitting up in bed, awaiting her return. Yennefer brushed out her own hair and cleaned her face, changing for bed.

And she found the princess exactly as anticipated. Yennefer wondered how the girl ever slept, for how excitable she was in times like this. **”Just one story,”** Yennefer tapped Ciri’s nose with a finger, climbing into bed. The princess curled up against her, tiny fingers twisting into raven hair, and it took everything for Yennefer to not coo at her like an infant. 

**”How about…the first time I met your uncle Jaskier?”** she grinned. Of course there were many parts of that story to be left out, but Ciri loved stories about the bard. Naturally. Yennefer could imagine the smug look on his face, should he ever discover that fact. Wherever he and Geralt were now, Yennefer hoped it was truly worth leaving the princess behind, for them. She was only halfway into the story before she realized Ciri had fallen asleep. Sweet little thing, and Yennefer could hardly leave when the princess was so safe and warm in her arms. 

**”Sweet dreams, princess,”** Yen kissed the top of her head, before allowing herself to drift off to sleep as well.


	2. Yennefer II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected guest interrupts Yennefer's plans for Ciri's day.

**“I wanna make the blue one again,”** Ciri hopped down from her stool, ignoring the ingredients Yennefer had set out for a new potion. The sorceress sighed, following the princess to her ingredients cabinet. Ciri was already collecting all the right ingredients, having memorized the potion for enhanced stamina. 

**“But you’ve made that one at least twenty times, Ciri. This one is going to-”**

**“It’s blue for Jask!”** the princess proudly proclaimed, marching back to the table. She struggled to set the ingredients down, being so little still, so Yennefer lifted her to do so. 

**“Is that his color then?”** she asked, amused. It certainly fit, the more Yen thought about it. Blue, the striking color of Jaskier’s eyes. The color of his doublet when Geralt had dragged him to her, begging in his peculiar, monotone way. She would later learn that it meant he loved the bard more than she knew, to put in even that much effort. It had been most amusing that Jaskier was the first man to run away from her, especially when she was half-naked and already in a bed with him. **“How about the rest of us?”** Yennefer couldn’t help but to ask. 

**“Geralt is silver,”** Ciri was concentrating hard on her potion work, **“And you’re purple!”** Of course, she ought to have known. Ciri saw the colors that stood out most on them, and decided that was theirs. Yennefer was oddly proud that it was her eyes that still stood out, after all these years. Was Geralt's color because of his hair, or his sword, then? She might have to investigate that reasoning later.

 **“Mistress?”** came a knock at the door. Yen sighed, patting Ciri’s head as she went to see what they could possibly want. What would be so important right now?

 **“Yes, what is it?”** she opened the door, not expecting the nervous look on the girl’s face. No, not nervous. She was downright terrified. **“What happened?”** Yennefer asked, more stern.

 **“Nilfgaard,”** she whispered, holding a paper of summons. 

Yennefer took it, reading through it. A cursory attendance to ask assistance of a sorceress. It wasn’t unheard of, although why they would choose her, of all people, was a bit suspicious. She clenched her jaw, running through scenarios quickly in her mind. After a nod, she sent the servant away, quickly locking the door. This didn’t make sense, unless somehow Nilfgaard had never known of her involvement in the battle. There were many deaths that day, and Yennefer had slipped away as soon as she was able. Perhaps they merely thought her a neutral party, who had managed to avoid the slaughter?

 **“Ciri,”** she cheerfully called to the princess, crossing to the table where a perfect potion of stamina sat. **“Wonderful. Very well done! Would you like to play our game, Ciri?”**

The princess gasped, and jumped out of her seat again, rushing to grab her little cloak and the special vial. **“I’m ready!”** she gleefully announced. Yennefer was already packing a small bag of potions that Ciri knew well, along with some dried fruits and bread, strapping it to the girl’s back.

 **“Now you remember how this game works, don’t you?”** Yennefer knelt down, rubbing Ciri’s shoulders. The princess nodded with a large grin.

 **“If you don’t find me by two suns, I smash the bottle and tell Miss Tissaia that you lost!”** Ciri was practically vibrating in place for how excited she was to skip the rest of this lesson.

 **“That’s my good girl. Now, ready?”** The princess nodded, and Yennefer cast a portal for her to walk through. It was an isolated mountain cave to the far west, a place that she had explored personally many times, and knew was safe for the girl. For a little while, at least. Ciri waved before stepping through the portal, which Yennefer closed instantly. She gathered up all the things from today’s lesson, hurrying to set them away. Ciri’s room was locked, the door hidden behind a glamour, and all things little-girl related were tucked away in hiding spots. Not even a stray blonde hair could be found, once Yennefer had prepared the keep. 

By the time she had cleaned herself up, the Nilfgaardian knight had been shown to her drawing room to wait. Yennefer’s servants were aware of what they must do, should things turn sour. She hoped they did not. It was the absolute last thing she needed.

 **“Sorry to have kept you,”** she announced herself, practically floating into the room. Yennefer casually lit candles with a simple cast, and settled herself into the plush armchair before the fireplace. Her gaze dragged over the knight dressed in black, who bowed respectfully as he approached.

 **“Yennefer of Vengerberg. Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach, at your leisure,”** he introduced himself oddly, and shortly, but Yennefer supposed they were just an odd bunch, the Nilfgaardians. She gestured at the opposite chair, looking bored.

 **“If you’re in need of a new advisor, I recommend looking elsewhere. I’ve since retired from such things.”** A servant brought a tray for tea, filling a cup for Yennefer. **“Tea?”**

Cahir shook his head, looking…not quite nervous, no. Yennefer could have taken a quick peek inside that head of his, but she knew that Fringilla could be using him to spy, not just through the gathering of information, either. No, the bitch could take a comfortable ride in his mind, waiting for the familiar feeling of Yennfer’s push, and then pounce to glean all that information directly. No, she would not take that risk today. For Ciri’s sake.

 **“Thank you, but no. I suppose I’ll get right to it. You are one of the few still living who knew Geralt of Rivia, yes?”** Yennefer narrowed her eyes over the teacup at him, pausing for a moment to take a long sip. It wasn’t an unexpected line of questioning by any means, but she did have a visage to uphold.

 **“If you’ve come to brighten my day with the news of his death, please do continue. Otherwise I have no use for this.”** Oddly, that seemed to be what Cahir was hoping she might say, if the slight, sadistic smile on his face was anything to go by.

 **“In a manner of speaking. You would help us achieve that end.”** Ah, well now she understood. Because of Jaskier’s big mouth, his sour songs, it was well known across the continent that she and Geralt had fallen out in an epic fashion. It didn’t matter what side she had once been on, if their goals now aligned. 

Yennefer took her time to answer, carefully setting down her cup, smoothing her skirts. **“Well what did you have in mind?”** She could get around this, whatever they were hoping for. Geralt had survived worse than her, in his long life, and he could certainly take whatever these Nilfgaardians wanted to throw at him. His bard, though…Yen would have to be very, very careful. 

**“We’d appreciate your assistance in locating him. I trust that shouldn’t be an issue?”**

With a slight nod, the sorceress stood, taking her time to lead the knight to one of her work spaces. Yennefer’s heart wanted to race, she wanted to just kill the man and be done with it. Her mind wandered to Ciri in her little cave, with her dried fruits and potions to keep her from feeling the biting hunger too much. At least they had broken their fast not long ago, so it would be a time until she needed to eat again. **“Can’t Fringilla find him for you? Have her services gone so lax, then.”**

**“Fringilla is no longer capable of doing such things,”** Cahir responded simply, following her with no particular sense of haste. Yennefer glanced at him, seeing a slight smile cross his features. Had they killed her, then, for her failure in that battle? Or had she died when Yennefer burned the army? It was best not to question it too closely.

She pushed her way into the conservatory, candles immediately lighting in her presence. **“What has Geralt done now, to gain Nilfgaard’s attention?”** she coyly inquired, pretending to search through her things for ingredients and potions she might find useful.

 **“We have reason to believe he’s taken the Lion Cub of Cintra. We would hate to see anything happen to the princess. Witchers are dangerous beasts.”** Yennefer could feel her chest threaten to tighten, and the urge to curse Cahir, to kill him and send a false, glamoured servant back in his place had to be tempered down into nothing. This was about Ciri, then, and they had no idea she actually had the girl in her care. That was good. Very good, in fact.

 **“I’d heard they were all slaughtered at the siege. Are the rumors not true, then?”** The more she could play in denial, the easier this would be to slip past. Yennefer danced her fingertips over a variety of scrolls, before plucking out a map of the continent. 

**“Some rumors are true, some may be less so.”** Cahir leaned on the table, his fingers splayed over darkened oak, and he unblinkingly watched Yennefer roll out the map. **“If the witcher has her, Nilfgaard will see her returned.”** So they could slaughter her like a suckling pig, Yennefer imagined. Was this Nilfgaardian knight aware of Westeros, she wondered? She could throw their track off, and find how best to hide Ciri, should they return to her fortress. 

**“Please, sit. This might take a while.”**

**“I’m fine standing.”**

It was unnevering, to have those pale eyes watching her every move. Yennefer did a true spell of finding, though one that was more complex and required additional time to perform. The first time, she made sure to manipulate the sands to gather themselves on the far west coast of the continent, before falling apart in disarray. She pretended to be annoyed by that, and set the spell for a second time. The sands gathered in a swirling ball, right in the middle of the continent, before dispersing all over the map.

 **“Is everything alright?”** Cahir’s voice ghosted, and the knight slowly walked around the table, until he was practically pressed against Yennefer’s side, looking down at the map.

 **“Yes. I…am just having trouble locating him.”** Yennefer glanced up, and Cahir’s pale eyes slid easily from her face, back down to the map. Had he been watching her, rather than the spell? To see if she might crack, perhaps. What if they knew, or suspected that she was still in league with the witcher? Yennefer had to tread carefully.

 **“Try again,”** was all the knight said, softly. 

Yennefer had never been fond of men telling her what to do or how to do it. Now was no exception either. At least her reputation gave her the excuse to round on him, arms crossed in annoyance. **“If you’re going to ask for my help, perhaps it’s prudent to leave me to my work, rather than telling me things I already know. You can’t find him, but I will.”** Cahir nodded once, a slender hand pressed to his chest in silent apology. 

The sorceress turned back to the map, hands flat on the table, and muttered a new incantation. The sands formed a thin line, marching straight off the east coast of the map, and swirling in a confused pool just off the edge of it. Yennefer grunted in faux frustration, pushing back from the table and finding a warm hand pressed against the small of her back. That took her off guard, and she slid sideways, away from the intrusive gesture. 

**“I don’t believe he’s even on the continent,”** Yennefer concluded, looking to Cahir when she was out of his reach once more. The knight nodded, and looked down at the sands, which still swirled on a nonexistent second map.

 **“We will give you time to locate him, then. Once we’ve found him, you will be compensated for your services, Yennefer.”** The threat that loomed beneath that quiet voice was clear as day. The sorceress nodded with a raised brow. If they didn’t find Geralt, or suspected she had led them astray, things would go rather badly for her, rather quickly. 

**“I require a notice, if you plan on visiting me like this again, Cahir. I do not like to be pressed for my time.”** Yennefer’s eyes were trained on the knight, as he slowly approached her again. He was like a panther, sleek and dangerous, with eyes that glittered in the hope of violence. Pity they were on opposing sides, then.

 **“As you require, sorceress. Will four days suffice, to find the Butcher?”** Yennefer nodded tersely. She wanted to step backwards, out of his claiming space, but remained a statue here. This was her home, after all, and Cahir was merely a guest. 

**“Four days, then,”** Cahir took her hand and placed a far too delicate kiss on her knuckles. It was hardly a custom, and immediately raised her suspicions, though she couldn’t quite say why. The knight turned, and her servants were there to escort him out of the keep. Yennefer watched from a pulpit as the knight donned his feathered helmet and mounted his horse. The beast stamped and snorted, and Cahir turned, finding her easily. With a nod, he departed. Yennefer waited ten minutes after he had left her range of vision, and then went to her chamber, deep inside the keep. 

Yennefer closed and secured her door, letting out a long breath in relief as she leaned against it. Four days. She had four days to come up with a way to throw Nilfgaard off its tracks and avoid finding Geralt and Jaskier entirely. And they were ignorant to Ciri’s true whereabouts, which was even better. She opened the portal to Ciri’s hiding spot, stepping through.

 **“I’ve found you my darling,”** she announced. A panic shifted her stomach when she received no answer. **“I said I found you,”** Yennefer tried again, walking deeper into the cave. It was quiet, hollow, with not even a mischievous giggle to give away a hiding spot. Perhaps Ciri had used one of the potions to conceal herself? Yennefer cast the spell to break such magic, but it fell useless against the walls. 

**“Ciri?”** Yennefer’s breathing picked up, and a chill hit her spine roughly. **“Ciri it’s time to go back now, we have more lessons to attend.”** She tried another spell, to find a living creature within a certain range. But no…Ciri was gone.


	3. Yennefer III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yennefer searches for Ciri, gains valuable advice from an old friend, and prepares for Cahir's return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cahir kind of took over and next thing I knew, the rating got bumped all the way up. Proceed with caution, please.

Yennefer stood in the empty, echoing cave, her heart pounding and mouth dry. Ciri was missing, gone, and she could only worry and wonder what had happened. Cahir had been a distraction, they had known she would stow the girl here. Surely. Yennefer slowly wandered further back into the cave, feeling her eyes prickle with tears. Which was ridiculous, tears would solve nothing. **“Pull yourself together you useless thing,”** she chastised herself. Yen wiped her eyes and stormed towards where she knew the secret entrance to be, just to see if it had been disturbed.

She didn’t make it that far, though, as she heard the crackle of glass beneath her boot. Her heart leapt into her chest, and she stepped back, looking down at the floor. Yennefer knelt, picking up the piece she had crushed, and sighed in relief. The magic in her hand vibrated with familiar energy. Her own energy. Her magic, that she had made for Ciri. The girl had gone to Aretuza. **“Tears solved nothing,”** she reaffirmed herself, taking a moment to compose and rest. There was no time to get her xenovox and hope Tissaia was listening for her. If Ciri had gone and told the old mage something had happened, a siege could be launched at this very moment. No, she had to go back there now.

She stepped through her portal, into an empty room. Her old room, in fact. The old sense of dread rumbled deep in her mind somewhere, reminding her of the days before she had come to power. Yennefer shook the thought from her mind, and immediately rushed into the halls, reaching out with her senses and calling to Tissaia. Ciri had to be here, somewhere. Yennefer ignored the shocked girls she passed in the halls.

 _Yennefer._ She stopped, feeling Tissaia’s influence in her mind. _Calm down, Yennefer. Come to the study._ After all these years, Tissaia still spoke to her like a petulant child, and that made her feel like a little piglet, all over again. At least Tissaia’s mind felt calm, in her dry sarcasm and irritable ease. Yennefer found that, though the years had been long, Aretuza was as familiar as her own mind. She found Tissaia, and thankfully Ciri, quite easily and quite quickly.

 **“Yen!”** Ciri had been crying, and it broke Yennefer’s heart when the girl rushed over, hugging her legs hard. She knelt down to properly hug the Lion Cub, lifting her from the floor as Ciri wrapped her whole tiny body around Yennefer. **“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I got scared! There was an eagle and…and it was being loud and I…”** The girl was shivering and hiccupping, and Yen shushed her, smoothing through her hair. 

**“You did fine, love. You did exactly what you needed to. It’s ok.”** Yennefer kissed her temple, walking down to the dais and taking a seat, rocking the princess gently. She hummed a tune that her own mother had sung, when she’d sneak out to the barn and calm her at night. 

Tissaia was watching her curiously, silently, hands folded gracefully in her lap. **“And here you found a way to become a mother after all, Yennefer.”** She rose an eyebrow, in that demeaning and emotionless way she always did. The purple-eyed sorceress ignored the comment, rubbing Ciri’s back and feeling her slip into a dream. A little bit of magic helped her along the rest of the way, and she was soon asleep against Yennefer.

 **“I thought she would be fine, for an hour or two. I need a better plan.”** She still hated to admit when she needed help, let alone ask for it, but at least she could be a bit better in opening herself to her former mentor.

 **“Tell me what happened, Yennefer. She showed up in my chamber, crying, and said that you would be so angry she ended the game so soon.”** That made Yennefer frown, and she sincerely hoped that Ciri was not frightened of her. That thought was an even worse one. 

**“A knight of Nilfgaard came to me, seeking assistance. He wanted me to find Geralt of Rivia. I know where the witcher’s gone, but I will not be party to his hunt. They were sure he had the princess…I don’t know what they want with her.”**

Tissaia hummed thoughtfully. The mage stood and approached, tucking a strand of hair behind Yennefer’s ear. **“Tea,”** she said, and summoned a fresh pot with two cups. **“When is he due to return? I do hope you weren’t thick enough to leave the invitation open.”**

Yennefer glared at the woman, and would have reached out to slap her, had her arms not been full of sleeping princess. **“Four days’ time, he said. I planned on sending them in the wrong direction, but I fear the retribution they might bring.”**

 **“You fear it?”** That damned eyebrow again.

 **“Not for my sake. For hers. Tissaia…I will require your help in the matter.”** Yennefer’s jaw tightened as she spoke it aloud, hating that she had to rely on anyone besides herself for something like this. At least Tissaia had the wherewithal to simply nod her agreement, sipping her tea like a graceful countess of some sort. 

**“And what is it you plan on doing with him, to ensure they don’t know of your deceit?”**

Yen sighed, her hold on Ciri growing tighter for a moment. **“I don’t know. I have four days to come up with a plan. Perhaps a glamour…so they believe he’s eluded them.”**

**“You could simply get into his head, Yennefer.”**

The comment gave her pause, and brought her back to the things Cahir had said, and did. The hand upon her back, the kiss to her knuckles. Fringilla was no longer a threat, if he was to be believed. **“I would have to get very close to him,”** she frowned. It wasn’t as though she was a stranger to it, but the Nilfgaardian knight had an air about him that was impenetrable. It would be a difficult task.

**“We gave you that beauty for a reason, Yennefer. Use it.”**  


  


* * *

  


  
Yennefer had spent the better part of the day preparing for Cahir’s arrival, sending Ciri back to Aretuza early on. Her glamours to hide all the things that gave even a hint of the princess’s presence in her fortress were doubled, locked down, and set with a safeguard that only she could undo. Should anything happen to her, her magic would still hold in place, and Tissaia would immediately be alerted. Yennefer truly hoped that it would not come to such an end, but she was prepared for any possibility. She had survived much in her life thus far, purely out of spite. Now she had reason to survive a while longer; to keep Ciri safe.

 **“Mistress.”** She didn’t need to ask why she was being approached. Cahir had arrived. 

Yennefer was wearing a dress that hugged her figure well, but did not flaunt obviously. She had painted her face subtly, enough to enhance the supernatural beauty she had stolen from Aretuza, but light enough to seem as though it were an ordinary day. If she was to seduce the knight, she would have to take care, and not be too eager in the chase. He was no fool, surely. **“Thank you, Ellie. Show our guest to the map chamber, would you? Inform him I shall be with him presently.”** She could have greeted Cahir herself, shown him to the room with her _findings_ , and then seduced him there. But no…the anticipation had to build. 

She sprayed a small dose of perfume on her neck. An herbal, flower scent of her own making, with just the barest touch of pheromones to entice a reaction. Yennefer had no qualms playing dirty when she needed to. Lifting her skirts, Yen sucked her finger just enough to wet it and drag it along her seam, teasing herself into waking her lust. If she met him with the heady scent of her perfume and a flushed visage, he would be weak for her. Yennefer took her time, dragging the brush through her hair once more, dangling her choker just so on her neck, glancing to her reflection one more time. Tissaia was there, briefly, nodding in approval. Yennefer couldn’t help the slight smile that pulled at the corner of her mouth, before she turned to leave.

 **“I wasn’t sure you would be back,”** she announced, sounding as bored as she possibly could. Cahir immediately stood from the chair he’d sat in, giving a brief bow. **“I’ve found him, but I’m not sure you’ll like the answer I’ve determined.”**

Cahir’s eyes were fixed on her as she crossed the floor, but she barely paid him any mind. Ignoring him was key, although Yennefer had worked herself up plenty already. She could feel her lust thrum like a low, persistent chord, singing softly to convince her body to push further. 

**“Whatever you’ve found, I’m sure we can work with,”** his voice was suddenly much closer, and Yennefer wondered how he could be so silent in all that armor. She ignored the prickling at the back of her neck and the urge to turn and look at Cahir. 

**“It’s as I suspected,”** she continued, clearing her throat. **“He’s not on the continent.”** Yennefer unfurled a map of Essos, spreading her hands across both sides of the map. Cahir pressed his palms to the table as well, his pinky finger barely making contact with her own. She let it stay, though she did not quite wish to admit that there was no urge to pull her hand away in the first place. And it was not the perfume that bedded down such urges. 

**“Where is he?”** Cahir’s voice was smooth and even, and Yennefer spared a glance at him briefly. No, his attention was on the map.

 **“A continent called Essos. He must have employed a mage there to help him hide. They’re known for their priestesses of fire. I initially thought he was in Braavos, this port here,”** she lifted her hand to point to it. **“But now I believe him to be in Lys. This island. It is a place known for…oddities.”** Yennefer turned to face Cahir, letting the map roll on itself as she crossed her arms, fixing him with a neutral stare. He spread the paper once more, studying it through narrowed eyes.

 **“Do you think he intends to stay for long?”** His slender fingers left the map, and he turned as well, towering over the sorceress.

 **“How am I meant to know? All I did was fuck him and then sent him away when he stopped being useful.”** And that was entirely true. Nobody needed to know what had happened since. Yennefer stepped forward, challenging Cahir’s space. And to his credit, the black knight did not flinch, not even slightly. **“It is quite the journey, to get to Essos. Perhaps if you wish to stay as my guest for just a bit longer, I can whip up some spell to track him.”** It had been simple, to stray Geralt’s supposed alignment to another point on the map. It would even move as he did, and throw the scent off even further. 

Yennefer lifted a hand to trace the emblem on Cahir’s chest, and _finally_ it got some response out of the knight. His hand snatched her wrist in a commanding grip, making the sorceress smile lightly. The question on his face was clear as day, though the stare he cast down might have withered a weaker, younger, woman. **“We never negotiated our terms, Cahir,”** she purred, slipping her hand from his grasp. **“And I’ve been rather flexible already, haven’t I?”** She could have disrobed him with a flick of her wrist, but making him want it enough to do it himself was far more fun. 

**“I see,”** he allowed the further movement of her fingers up his chest, the tickling sensation of fingernails at his neck. **“And what sort of price would a sorceress of your reputation require?”** His hand had slid its way to her hair, brushing it back behind her shoulders. It came to rest at the back of her neck. That was all she needed for her perfume to take hold. Yennefer made a show of leaning into the touch, sighing. 

**“I think you can figure that out, can’t you?”** she slipped her hand between his legs, finding a cock that was already half-hard. Perfect. She tightened her grip with a challenging sneer, and it swelled to life in her palm. Cahir let out a low groan, and leaned down to pull her into a rough kiss, biting at her lips. He nudged to her jaw, licking along her heartbeat, and biting down on her neck. She had thought Geralt enjoyed a bit of rough play, but he was a kitten, truly. The witcher was a tender lover, although his cock certainly made up for his reluctance to inflict pain. With his nose buried in her neck, Cahir was going to be up to his ears in pheromones. 

They were clearly working, as his hands went to her skirts, pulling at them. Yennefer moaned, pressing her hips into his. **“This works better without all that on, doesn’t it? And perhaps…a different setting,”** she gasped into his lips, wrapping her hands around his back and portalling them to her bedchamber. Cahir wasted no time in stripping the armor from his body, stepping forward wearing nothing but sleek, black smallclothes that really looked more like trousers. His physique was impressive, and far more lean than she had imagined, under all that armor. 

Cahir grabbed her waist, and Yennefer chuckled, lightly pushing back from his arms. **“Easy, boy. This is my home, and you’re _my_ guest.”**

Something in his eyes glinted dangerously, and the curl of his lip suggested his disagreement. Cahir pulled her in for a kiss, and the taste of him at her mouth was _delicious_. In one swift motion, his hands were under her thighs, lifting her to rest at his waist. **“That perfume was unnecessary,”** he grunted, biting at her neck roughly again. Yennefer gripped his hair, attempting to pull him back. **“Those flowers don’t work on me.”**

Her breath caught in her throat, and Yennefer found herself thrown roughly down onto the bed, Cahir’s feral grin quickly above her. **“Perhaps that was misguided itself…thinking you needed more than what you offer, to find me in your bed.”** He had begun to pull her skirts up past her knees, his hand slipping between her thighs and finding her already pulsing and wet. Cahir slid two fingers into her with very little effort needed, curling them just so to have her keening. 

**“After our last encounter…I…didn’t want to take the…fuck.”** Cahir’s thumb had slid to her clit, rubbing a slow circle into it with constant pressure. Yennefer’s hips rolled and she let slip a genuine, sinful moan. Cahir’s hand was on her wrist, pinning it to the bed. A memory, a preparation, nagged at her mind, and it wasn’t until she felt the cold metal click around her wrist that she remembered. The cuffs, to secure Cahir to her bed. They could be undone by magic, and the knight would be a fool to think otherwise. No…no, this was entirely playful. 

**“No one has dared to restrain me in my own home,”** With her free hand, Yennefer grabbed his head, forcing it down into a kiss. She pulled his bottom lip harshly between her teeth, and Cahir shoved her hand away, securing that as well. To say she was aroused would be quite the understatement. 

**“Perhaps you haven’t been fucking the right kinds of people,”** he purred into her neck, taking both hands to her skirts and shoving them up to her waist. Cahir caught her mouth in a rough, passionate kiss, but only for a moment. The knight slid down to nestle his face between her legs, his tongue licking up the seam of her cunt, flicking at her clit. Yennefer strained gently at the cuffs, and gasped when he bit her thigh. 

**“Oh you just wait until I’m free of these, _Nilfgaardian_ ,”** she dripped as much venom as she could muster into the name, and it earned her another bite to her thigh. Cahir pulled back, and slapped her cunt, making her shout in surprise. 

**“I think you’ve misunderstood, Yennefer. I’m not the one chained to this bed.”** Cahir’s hand slipped to her throat, squeezing just enough to make her sputter and pull at her restraints again. He placed the most gentle of kisses on her lips before slipping down between her legs again. Yennefer gasped as the hand left her throat, and gods if she wasn’t aroused by a man who held no fear in her. 

She could feel him laugh against her heat, before he began to devour her like a starved man. His fingers worked inside her, curling against the spot that was driving her absolutely wild. Yennefer felt her stomach twist and tighten, and she pulled roughly on the cuffs as she came, thrusting against Cahir’s face. He was not yet done with her, it seemed, as he rocked and adjusted through her orgasm, his tongue flicking and twisting and teasing her. A third finger slipped inside her, and Yen’s legs tightened around his head. 

**“You didn’t need to perfume yourself here, either,”** he grinned up at her, biting down on her thigh again. Yennefer sucked in a sharp gasp, one heel digging down into Cahir’s back. She could have just freed her wrists at any time, to grab that smug face and shove it back down to her cunt. But for some reason she did not. 

**“Like…I said. I…I could not…take the…risk…oh gods, Cahir,”** she was arching from the bed as he fucked her with his fingers, pulling high pitched moans from her that were, quite frankly, embarrassing. He pulled her through two more orgasms before kneeling up beside her, eyes dragging over her shivering body.

 **“Hmm. That is going to get in my way, Yennefer.”** Before she could even begin to decipher what that could possibly mean, he had already fetched a dagger from his discarded clothing. 

**“Don’t you _dare_ ,”** she glared at him, knowing what that knife was intended for. Cahir was amused by her, and dragged the tip of his blade down her cheek, to her neck, settling the point between her breasts. Goosebumps broke out along her shoulders as she stared up at the knight, who was drinking in her figure. The blade flashed, and her bodice ripped at its teeth, cutting away from her body far too easily. Mending the garment would be simple with magic, but in the moment it had her absolutely incensed, yanking and rattling her chains like a wounded beast. 

Cahir stroked through her hair with a dark laugh, and then pulled the dress from under her, leaving her completely exposed to him. Yennefer thought he would put the dagger away, as well, but instead found the tip dragging over her curves, deliciously cold against her heated flesh. Her eyes slid shut as the blade reached her breasts, toying with first one nipple, and then the other. **“You’ve never been spoiled for pleasure, have you?”** Cahir’s voice dripped into her ear. The blade left her body, and Yen flushed as she realized how badly she yearned for that sensation again. **“You take. You mages do nothing but take. It’s time you let go,”** he purred, slipping between her legs.

Yennefer bit his lip, hard, when he dipped down to kiss her again, and she laughed at how he grunted in pain from it. A hand tangled into her dark hair, forcing her head back and pulling a moan from her. 

**“Just like a man, to think he might give me something no one else ever could,”** she sneered, goading him with intent. His hand tightened on her throat again, and Yennefer realized that he was no longer wearing smallclothes. Cahir teased his cock along her slit, and every time she moaned, his hand tightened, until she could barely breathe beyond a choke of a whimper. 

**“There you are…yes, no one’s ever dared, have they? Fuck…”** Cahir cursed under his breath as he slipped his cock inside, filling Yennefer. She could only choke a moan out, though once he released her neck, she sucked in a gasp, her body clenching around Cahir and making them both moan in harmony. 

His hips ground against her, painfully slow and tormenting, intentionally teasing her. Yennefer thrust up against him, and a rough hand pushed her hips down, pinning her to the bed. It was frustrating and insanely erotic, to be tormented like this. **“You coward. Fuck me.”** Yennefer was panting and groaning, and she was just on the edge of considering using her magic to break the shackles that bound her. Perhaps Cahir could see the frustration in her limbs and face, as he began to thrust into her. The loud slap of his hips against her was just as arousing as the cock pummeling her from the inside. 

Yennefer’s head tilted back and she moaned loudly, her legs clinging tightly to Cahir’s hips. His hand slid to her throat again, but this time did not seek to squeeze the life from her. It rested there, but just for a moment, before tangling roughly in her hair. She grunted and gnashed her teeth, pulling against the grip, which forced her head in the opposite direction. **“Gods when I get my hands on you, I-”** Cahir would never find out what she would do, when his hand covered her mouth like that. 

**“You could have flayed me the moment I walked onto your lands,”** he purred, leaning in to snag her earlobe between his teeth. **“And yet I live…you aren’t exactly known for your soft nature, Yennefer.”** The sorceress moaned beneath his hand, eyes rolling back as he fucked her with feral grunts and animalistic gasps. Cahir shoved her face to a side and bit at her neck again, and her muffled groans tried to burst past his fingers. 

Cahir thrust rapidly against her, and for a moment Yennefer was sure he was going to finish in her then. Instead, he slowed and then came to a halt, buried deep inside her. A sinful whine came from somewhere, certainly not her, and Cahir grinned down, removing his hand just to kiss her tenderly. **“Easy, sorceress,”** he growled her own words back to her, more or less, and it made her whine pathetically. His hips ground slowly again, taunting and teasing her. 

**“Cahir…”** She was silenced with another kiss, whimpering into it. He would torment her until she broke, Yen thought. The knight even teased her with a kiss that didn’t happen, pulling back further and further, making her strain up from the bed, eager for his lips on hers. Cahir grabbed her jaw, and leaned in to lick a filthy stripe across her mouth, which was held firmly shut in his grip.

 **“Look at you now, Yennefer. Begging. Wanting. Oh not with your words…but your body is screaming to me. Urging. The want in your eyes, the way you can barely breathe…I would drag you to this precipice endlessly just to see the desperation in your eyes.”** His breath was hot against her ear. Yennefer’s entire being shuddered. Her hips bucked against him, and Cahir roughly shoved them back down, capturing her mouth in his with a dirty laugh. 

**“Maybe I should leave you here like this…I’m in no rush, but you are desperate, aren’t you? How long has it been, Yennefer?”** Cahir began to slip out of her, sitting up with a sadistic gleam in his eye. 

The sorceress’s eyes went wide, and with a snap of her fingers, the shackles unlocked from her wrists. Yennefer hooked her ankles around the back of Cahir’s thighs. She had intended to shove him onto his back and take the climax he taunted. The bastard expected it, grabbing her hair in a tight fist and dropping his weight, his cock driving deep into her as he pushed her roughly to the bed. **“Still trying to take and take, hmm? Fine.”** Cahir leaned in, whispering roughly into her ear. **“Then you’ll take everything I give you,”** he bit down on the sensitive spot of her neck, making her cry out in bliss. 

Cahir grabbed her leg and used the leverage to throw Yennefer onto her stomach. She was half expecting him to pin her to the bed, finding herself pleasantly surprised when he instead grabbed a fistful of hair, yanking her head back. The other hand gripped her waist, tight and commanding, and Cahir fucked her. He truly fucked her, and Yennefer would have collapsed into the sheets had he not been holding her fast in place. Her climax was rough, and quick, and Cahir bit down on her shoulder. 

Yennefer reached back to grab at his hair, and found her wrist caught in a tight grip, roughly pushed down to the bed. Cahir fucked her through yet another orgasm, and Yennefer was moaning, writhing, panting, absolutely covered in sweat by then. Her dark hair stuck to her forehead, and she had finally stopped fighting. Yennefer gave herself over to bliss, moaning and thrusting back against the knight. He released her wrist, grabbing her hips tightly with both hands, panting and moaning loudly. She felt the spill of his seed filling her, and finally the black knight of Nilfgaard collapsed against her, planting kisses along her spine and shoulders. 

**“Yennefer…”** The commanding tone had left his voice, but still it made her wither and moan, turning towards him as he slid to the bed beside her. She was shocked by the tenderness he showed, pulling her close and stroking her back, kissing her forehead. **“That was long overdue.”** He sighed, laying back and pushing his own wet hair from his face. 

**“Had you planned on fucking me for a while, then?”** she teased, still breathless. Yennefer was glad to nestle herself against his chest. It would be easier to slip into his mind while he slept, if she could convince him to stay long enough for that. 

Cahir chuckled, turning his gaze down towards her again. **“From the moment I laid eyes on you. Yes.”** His soft expression hardened slightly, and he frowned at the ceiling instead. Now that was curious. Yennefer leaned up onto her elbow, pulling his face towards hers. Maybe she ought to do it now, and slip her influence to him while he was still vulnerable.

 **“I have not been very forthcoming, I’m afraid,”** he finally spoke again. The icy grip of doubt filled her, and Yennefer tightened her jaw, waiting for him to continue. **“I couldn’t be sure after my last visit, what your intention was. But mine…I have no alliance to Nilfgaard any longer.”**

Yennefer wasn’t sure if she could trust this, or him, and grabbed his jaw, pressing her influence onto his mind. He was no witcher, but he was still difficult to crack. She could feel him willingly allowing her in, though, and wondered too late if this wasn’t a trap after all. Thankfully hers was the only influence in his mind, and she saw his truth laid bare. He was double crossing Nilfgaard, having seen where it led. Cahir was intent on keeping Ciri safe, and well out of the hands of his former alliance. 

She sighed, pulling herself out of his mind and laying against his chest. His voice rumbled beneath her cheek, though it wasn’t especially deep. **“When I smelled the perfume on you, I knew the game at hand. You were intending on throwing the search wildly off, weren’t you? To protect her. And…now you know.”** Yennefer couldn’t blame him for playing off the supposition that she would willingly give Geralt up to an enemy. 

**“Consider yourself my political prisoner, then,”** Yennefer slid into his lap, her hands resting on his chest. Cahir rose an eyebrow at her, which just made her laugh. **“Oh, no, I’m not ready for another round yet. I need at least ten minutes. But your mind is…very open. I’m not sure I trust you yet. So I will not be letting you go.”**

Cahir sighed, but nodded, sliding his palms up her stomach to cup her breasts. His thumbs flicked absently at her nipples, and Yennefer’s mind was on his damn dagger again. **“I’ve got some ideas. And I will be taking precautions, I’m sure you’ll understand.”** A strong arm wrapped around her waist, and she was thrown onto her back again, Cahir’s lips on hers, dragging those moans from deep within her.

 **“I can think of worse places to find myself prisoner, Yennefer.”** She did not even require the ten minutes she thought she’d need, before they were lost in each other’s bodies again.


End file.
